Migrating Completely Over To Apple - Feedback Please

[roystreet]

Hello,
I've got an idea & I want to get some thoughts on it & see if my idea is crazy or not.

I originally bought a Surface Pro 3 a couple years ago to be my only machine to use. It worked great. Still, I found that Windows 10 is not as touch optimized as I'd like. I've also have grown tired of the tactics that Microsoft uses as of late & I've had many problems with Windows 10. (The main problems has to do with credentials, which I know not everyone is having that issue)

Anyway...I still need a machine that has more horsepower, that can have my big monitor, keyboard, mouse...etc plug into it. I want out of the Windows ecosystem, but I'm willing to stay.

My idea is this & let me know if it's crazy or not. I have the iPad Pro 9.7 & it is my daily driver. It fits most of my needs. I love using it & it usually runs smooth as butter & the battery life is wonderful. I use the pencil most of the time.

I'm thinking about getting just the bottom of the line Mac Mini to replace my Surface so that I can still sync my iPhone & iPad to it. I love the idea of moving to a new ecosystem - I've never owned a Mac. I would only be doing minor image, audio, or video editing & that would be rare. I mostly use MS Word & OneNote...I can easily install that on the Mini.

Any thoughts on this? Has anyone done this? I know some of you have the Surface & love it... It's great, but... Anyway

 

[Patron_Saint]

I'd bump up to a Mac with an SSD. The optimization is much better and makes for a much more enjoyable experience.

If the Mac mini is the form factor you like, go for it. Just bump it to a fusion drive model or SSD model for a bit more than the base. Be sure to check in the refurb store as well!

 

[Zazoh]

I moved to the Apple ecosystem about 8 years ago, convinced my wife and now we are a family of 4 all embedded in Apple. Previously I had owned every version of Microsoft Windows made.

Lets just say I'm glad we moved over. I work technology in the financial sector, at work everything is Microsoft, at home everything is Apple. So I get a daily reminder that Apple just works better.

 

[theluggage]

Anyway...I still need a machine that has more horsepower, that can have my big monitor, keyboard, mouse...etc plug into it.

Problem is at the moment, Apple have just released their high-end, ultra thin, ultra-light, ultra-portable and ultra-expensive (even by Apple standards) laptops, and the rest of the range is somewhat outdated. The Mac mini, which seems to be what you're after, in particular, is begging for an update. A lot of the wailing and gnashing of teeth that we're currently enjoying over the new laptops is precisely because Apple haven't updated the alternatives. Apart from the 12" MacBook and new MacBook Pros, the only model that's really "current" is the 27" iMac (nice machine, but probably not what you're after).

Nobody has any idea if or when the Mini is going to be updated, or what any new version is going to be like.

What I'd suggest at the moment is maybe looking for a secondhand or refurb Mac mini to see how you get on with it, while waiting to see what Apple does next.

 

[dwig]

Problem is at the moment, Apple have just released their high-end, ultra thin, ultra-light, ultra-portable and ultra-expensive (even by Apple standards) laptops, and the rest of the range is somewhat outdated. ...

While this is certainly "a problem", the problem is with the new MacBook Pros. The supposedly "outdated" MacMinis, on the other hand, have long ago worked out their teething pains and are likely better suited for the OP's rather light-duty needs, with the possible exception of video editing.

 

[HillCountry]

Hello,
I've got an idea & I want to get some thoughts on it & see if my idea is crazy or not.

I originally bought a Surface Pro 3 a couple years ago to be my only machine to use. It worked great. Still, I found that Windows 10 is not as touch optimized as I'd like. I've also have grown tired of the tactics that Microsoft uses as of late & I've had many problems with Windows 10. (The main problems has to do with credentials, which I know not everyone is having that issue)

Anyway...I still need a machine that has more horsepower, that can have my big monitor, keyboard, mouse...etc plug into it. I want out of the Windows ecosystem, but I'm willing to stay.

My idea is this & let me know if it's crazy or not. I have the iPad Pro 9.7 & it is my daily driver. It fits most of my needs. I love using it & it usually runs smooth as butter & the battery life is wonderful. I use the pencil most of the time.

I'm thinking about getting just the bottom of the line Mac Mini to replace my Surface so that I can still sync my iPhone & iPad to it. I love the idea of moving to a new ecosystem - I've never owned a Mac. I would only be doing minor image, audio, or video editing & that would be rare. I mostly use MS Word & OneNote...I can easily install that on the Mini.

Any thoughts on this? Has anyone done this? I know some of you have the Surface & love it... It's great, but... Anyway

I did that with a 2012 Mac mini with Dell peripherals, and it works well. My 2008 iMac will only update to Yosemite, but it still works, so the cost is offset by the longevity.

Hello,
I've got an idea & I want to get some thoughts on it & see if my idea is crazy or not.

I originally bought a Surface Pro 3 a couple years ago to be my only machine to use. It worked great. Still, I found that Windows 10 is not as touch optimized as I'd like. I've also have grown tired of the tactics that Microsoft uses as of late & I've had many problems with Windows 10. (The main problems has to do with credentials, which I know not everyone is having that issue)

Anyway...I still need a machine that has more horsepower, that can have my big monitor, keyboard, mouse...etc plug into it. I want out of the Windows ecosystem, but I'm willing to stay.

My idea is this & let me know if it's crazy or not. I have the iPad Pro 9.7 & it is my daily driver. It fits most of my needs. I love using it & it usually runs smooth as butter & the battery life is wonderful. I use the pencil most of the time.

I'm thinking about getting just the bottom of the line Mac Mini to replace my Surface so that I can still sync my iPhone & iPad to it. I love the idea of moving to a new ecosystem - I've never owned a Mac. I would only be doing minor image, audio, or video editing & that would be rare. I mostly use MS Word & OneNote...I can easily install that on the Mini.

Any thoughts on this? Has anyone done this? I know some of you have the Surface & love it... It's great, but... Anyway

I did this with a 2012 Mac mini and I'm very happy with it. I have a mere 20 inch HD Dell display, keyboard and mouse, but it's more than I need. I help maintain a 2008 iMac that just quit updating the OS with Yosemite, but I think it will do what you need. So, a If an iPad does it for you, a recent 'mini will fill in nicely.

 

[marioman38]

I would pick up a used 13" retina MacBook Pro. You can plug into your monitor and keyboard when you want. Sync your iPad. And have the ability to take it with you on the go.

If you don't need retina. Pick up a 2011 15" MacBook Pro. You will have a quad core intel i7 machine and can upgrade to 16gb ram and aftermarket 1tb ssd for pennies compared to apples pricing.

Unfortunately apple forgot about the mini long ago. I had the souped up 2011 dedicated gpu model back when it was new. The 2011 quad core MacBook Pro I picked up here on the forums a few months ago blows it out of the water!

 

[hanser]

I have a Mini and an iPad Air, nothing else, it works for me. Even editing of family movies and light photo work. Excellent combo. In your case even better with the iPad Pro. Hint: if the base mini seems too slow, connect a ssd externally via Usb 3 and install macOS and programs there to boot from. Cheap and efficient upgrade without opening up the machine.

 

[roystreet]

Thank you everyone for your input. You guys gave me good food for thought

 

[NorCalLights]

Thank you everyone for your input. You guys gave me good food for thought

Definitely buy an Apple refurbished Mac Mini with an SSD. They are great machines and will give you many years of solid usage (even though they are a little outdated by today's standards):

http://www.apple.com/shop/browse/home/specialdeals/mac

Apple isn't offering any Mini's refurbished today, but that changes daily. Just keep an eye on that link and one will pop up soon I'm sure.